Reactivity of BOF slag under autoclaving conditions

Basic oxygen furnace (BOF) slag is an industrial by-product of the steel industry and is currently used only in low-end applications like road fill or is landfilled. This study explores the possibility of BOF slag as raw material in the building industry by investigating its reactivity under autoclave conditions. The results reveal that autoclaving improves the mechanical performance as well as increases the reactivity based on the degree of hydration in BOF slag containing samples. Although, >40 wt% of hydration product (α-C2SH, hydrogarnet, portlandite and amorphous) was formed after autoclaving, autoclaved BOF slag containing samples show poor mechanical performance.